Arrival
by airwolf addict
Summary: Story Eleven. With Mike wounded, Saint John needs backup, but who is left to help?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

(About Five Months After Last Story)

Hawke struggled with the paperwork in the Santini air office. Paperwork never had been one of his strong points, and he didn't find answering the phone all that exciting either, but he still couldn't fly, and he had to do something.

He doubted he was supposed to hear it, but from just outside the door Dom was grumbling about needing more help. Caitlin wasn't flying much as of late with the baby due so soon and obviously String couldn't. That only left him and Saint John.

"Where's Saint John?" he asked taking a break from the ever-growing mountain threatening to cause an avalanche on him.

"He and Rivers took some mission from Michael," Dom answered, "It's supposed to be really important."

"Oh." While he didn't miss being shot at, the missions were a break to the usual routine, and he did miss the Lady. He couldn't even fly the Jet Ranger though; he definitely wasn't in any condition to be flying combat. Being shot, he decided, was still more appealing than the misery he'd been living through lately. He was making good progress, but it just wasn't anywhere near where he'd like it to be.

\A/

Saint John piloted Airwolf just beyond the hills and landed there. The mission should be easy-find out where these big shot arms dealers kept there goods, report to the FIRM, and then see what they wanted to do about stopping them. Actually, it was more of an undercover mission than an Airwolf mission. She probably only be needed if their plan was found out and someone had to go after the bad guys.

"We'll scout out the area and meet back here in two hours."

"Agreed."

They set their watches to match exactly then set off their separate ways. Saint John set off at a fast clip through the woods, intending to come in undercover of the bushes and trees. His army fatigues made blending in easier, but he had to make sure he didn't leave a trail, and he had to be absolutely silent the entire time.

Mike would take a more direct route but, amazingly enough, less guarded. Earlier attempts had tried to come in through the seemingly less defendable hidden end Saint John was on. Here, they figured they would be seen too easily and killed before they got close enough to do any damage.

Saint John gathered what information he could without getting himself caught. From what he gathered, he guessed they were hidden in an underground bunker, pretty heavily guarded. Hopefully, he would confirm his assumption with some news from Mike when they were to meet in now only twenty minutes.

Mike started his jaunt back to Airwolf. A quick glance at his watch told him he would have to hurry to get back in time, but it would be well worth it from the information he'd just gathered. Just before he reached cover of the woods, he was spotted by one of the guards.

Two shots rang out, the second catching him in the arm. He clutched it tightly with his other hand trying to slow the bleeding while running toward Airwolf. The guard followed him, now with his own platoon. They were gaining on him. 'Please let Saint John be there already and not walk straight into a trap,' he thought, but there was no chance of turning back now. It was Airwolf or nothing.

Saint John had heard the gunshots and ran into the safety of the bulletproof cockpit. Running thermal scans, he saw someone coming towards him at a full out run followed by a large group. 'Mike must have brought company, too bad we don't have enough room for them,' he thought humorlessly. He went ahead and started up the engines while Mike was still en-route so that they could take off as soon as he was there.

"Come on, Mike" he said aloud, "there gaining on you."

Finally, Mike made it just before the guards following him did. He threw himself inside and shut the hatch behind him.

"Let's get out of here!"

Saint John, who was already in the pilot's seat, took off immediately, disappearing out of sight.

They landed in a clearing about fifteen minutes away. Saint John found the first aid kit and joined Mike outside.

Mike poured some antiseptic on the wound as Saint John fought with the gauze. "I did find out a little bit about the weapons," Mike told him. "They're being stored underground now, but they are planning on moving them by tomorrow. That would probably be the easiest time to stop them.

Saint John agreed. "I think I'm going to need some back u though, and you're not it."

"I'll live," rivers retorted.

"You'll live, but the sooner they get that bullet out of you the better, and you're not going to be able to fly like that."

"What do you suggest?" Mike asked, "If you notice, we didn't bring anyone else."

"I'll radio Michael. He can get you a spot in the FIRM clinic to get your arm taken care of, and he can have some back up waiting for me there."

Mike gave in; like it or not, he didn't need to be flying right not and that long run had taken a lot out of him. Right now a comfy bed and a lot of sleep sounded good.

Saint John opened the hatch door and reached to the communications panel to connect a call to Michael.

"Angel 1," Michael answered from his all-white FIRM Jet Ranger. "I read you."

"I need to drop if Mike at one of the clinics up here and get some backup."

"How bad is it?"

"He's been shot. It's not life threatening, but he shouldn't be here with me."

Michael confirmed the request. "I'll take care of it."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Caitlin walked in carrying lunch. Dom set it out while she went to tell Hawke it was here.

She opened the office door and slipped into a chair across from him. He looked tired and frustrated, yet he continued to steadily plug away at the paperwork.

Finally he looked up, tired blue eyes meeting her hazel ones. "Cait, can we talk for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"I've given it a lot of thought, but I'm not where I want to be."

"String, you're making good progress-twice as far as the doctors had estimated," she interrupted.

"Maybe, but it's not good enough. You deserve better."

"I said I would stick with you," Caitlin argued.

"I know what you said, but listen to what I'm saying. You can do better. I can't take care of you or a kid right now and you know it, maybe it would be better if you found someone else."

"Find someone else?" she didn't know whether she was more upset about the stupid idea or hurt. "I don't need to find someone else."

"I can make sure you're both well provided for," he continued, "it's not that I don't love you, both of you, I just want what's best for you and that's not me."

"Well maybe I don't want what's best for us then. I want you."

"Caitlin, it won't work. You don't need me, and our kid deserves better." She sat stunned in her chair as he started to walk out. "I'm sorry, Cait."

He went to sit outside. He knew he had hurt her; he'd hurt himself. He didn't want to send her away anymore than she wanted to leave, but he had to do the right thing, and she and their baby would be better off without him.

Caitlin sat alone in the silence of the office until Dom came in after hearing the yelling. "Is everything ok in here?" he asked.

"Not really," she admitted, but she wasn't ready to expand on any further details about their fight.

Dom thought maybe he could get something more out of Hawke, unlikely but possible, so he went to ask him what had happened.

Towards the back of the hangar, the white limo pulled up. The license plate read FIRM 1-definitely Michael's. Coming around the corner quickly, he almost ran into her.

"Hi, Cait," he greeted, "is Hawke able to fly yet or Santini around?"

"Hawke, no; Dom, I don't know where he went, but he's got a charter flight in fifteen minutes. Why do you ask?"

"Mission work," he answered quickly.

"I thought Saint John and Mike Rivers were on a mission for you."

"They were, Saint John still is, Mike was injured and unable to finish the mission," Michael explained. "Saint John needs backup."

"I could go," she volunteered.

Michael knew she was capable and she shouldn't be in much danger, but Hawke would kill him if he found out. "I don't think Hawke would like that very much," he disregarded the idea. "I can send in one of my agents if I have to, I just thought if part of the crew was available I wouldn't have to involve anyone else, and they would already be familiar with Airwolf."

"Hawke shouldn't mind too much."

Michael knew that couldn't be the case. String wasn't always excited about having her involved before the whole family thing came into play. "I highly disagree."

"It doesn't matter; I can make my own decisions, and he just told me to leave anyway."

Michael's mouth dropped open. They couldn't be talking about the same Stringfellow Hawke. He was protective and he loved her. There was now way he'd just tell her to leave, especially with a baby on the way.

She might have laughed at his shocked expression had it not been for her sour mood. "He said I deserved someone that could take care of me and the baby-something he couldn't do."

"I'm still not sure it's a good idea."

"I can do it. He can't fly and Dom's busy. Your agents won't know the controls; I'll do it."

Michael finally conceded. She was right she could do it. "Alright," he agreed. He'd probably regret it later though. "Get in. we've got to get you ready to go."

\A/

Caitlin readied herself to go.

"Ok," she told Michael, "I'm ready."

He had Marella drive them to the FIRM clinic where Mike had been dropped off and Saint John was waiting.

Saint John sat with Airwolf on the roof off to the side, in case life flight needed to land on the helipad. Caitlin soon came up to join him. Before he'd even seen who it was, he'd started the engines, the rotors circling slowly gaining speed with every rotation.

"Let's go," Caitlin said climbing into the engineer's seat in the back.

"Caitlin?" he blinked in confusion. Why was she here?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to go."

"You, uh, weren't exactly who I was expecting," he stammered, still trying to figure out why she was here. "String doesn't know does he?"

"No. But it doesn't matter," she retorted. "I'm here and I know it; you know it. Now let's go."

Saint John complied, slowly lifting of the hospital roof, 'Let's just get this finished,' he thought 'and I had better get her back without as much a single scratch, or String will have my head.'

They flew across the sky to the hideout where the armament was being hidden. "The plan is to stop them when they're en-route, but you don't leave this helicopter until we get back without a damn good reason," he told her firmly. "I'd like to stay in one piece, and if you don't, String will make sure I don't either."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Dom's group for the charter flight came in just as he finished the final preparations.

"All ready to go?" he asked.

"Ready," each confirmed as they climbed into the waiting Jet Ranger.

"Alright. We should arrive in Laguna Beach about an hour from now."

Hawke watched as the Santini Air helicopter raised up and disappeared into the sky. He was alone in the hangar. He looked at his watch, still forty-five minutes before he or Caitlin needed to leave to go pick up Le. He sighed and slumped back into his chair.

He hoped he was doing the right thing sending Cait away; he didn't want to, but it was for the best he decided. He couldn't care for her, and their kid deserved an able father, able to do things he couldn't, maybe never would be able to do again. He dozed off thinking of what could have been…

A low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, wind rushed in the open window scattering papers across the floor. String awoke with a start. A glance at his watch told him it was time to go get Le.

"Caitlin," he called, walking over to shut the window.

No answer.

"Cait, can you go get Le?" The doctors had recently given him the ok to drive again, but he'd feel better letting her especially now that the roads were wet and slippery and he had a mess to clean up.

Caitlin didn't appear or give any answer. He looked for any sign of her. None. Next, he looked outside for the jeep; maybe she'd left while he was still asleep, he thought. The red, white, and blue jeep still sat outside, now collecting rain drops from the slight drizzle. He didn't have any more time to hunt for her; he'd just have to go himself and clean up the mess later.

He grabbed the keys and ran outside. Ducking into the jeep, he put the keys into the ignition and started it up. He drove along the highway until he reached Le's school.

Le was waiting under the overhang to stay out of most of the rain when he pulled up. Le climbed in and sat beside him.

"Hey," Le said surprised to see String picking him up.

"Hey, Half-Pint," He greeted. "Got any ideas where Caitlin might be?"

"No," he shook his head, sending bead if water flying off his collar length black hair. "Why?"

"Saint John's on a mission, Dom's on a charter, and I can't find Caitlin."

"Oh. I haven't seen her since she dropped me off at the hangar yesterday after school."

They arrived back at the hangar. "Will you help me clean up this mess?" he asked pointing to the mess of papers strewn across the floor.

They picked up the papers and reorganized them neatly. Still no sign of Caitlin. "It's been an hour and a half and she's still nowhere to be seen," he said to himself, worry starting to mount up. What had happened to her?

Finally he decided to call Michael, the last person he knew to ask. He dialed the number to Knightsbridge. Lauren picked up. He'd hoped to get at least Marella, but she'd have to do.

"It's Hawke; I need to talk to Michael."

"He's not here right now," Lauren answered.

"Where is he?"

"Marella was driving him to a FIRM clinic two hours from here."

He hung up the phone in disgust. 'Saint John and Mike were on a mission. Dom a charter and Caitlin couldn't be found. Wait. Michael was going to a FIRM clinic,' realization finally hit him, 'why?' He obviously wasn't hurt if he was going two hours away. Maybe something had happened to Saint John or Mike.

"Come on, Le. We're going on a trip."

They both climbed into the jeep, heading for the clinic.

Two hours later, they finally arrived. He walked, limping slightly, to the nurse at the front desk.

"I there anyone here by the name of Saint John Hawke?" he asked.

She silently turned to check the computer. Looking up, she shook her head in response to his questioning eyes.

"How about Mike Rivers?"

Again, keys clacked away as she typed in the name.

"Yes, he arrived about four hours ago. Room 216.

"Thank you."

Practically dragging Le behind him, he lengthened his stride, quickly covering the distance to the elevator. He pressed the up button and tapped his foot impatiently waiting on the elevator. The doors finally slid open slowly. Walking inside, he pressed the button for the third floor. The elevator ascended two stories then the doors slid open. String slipped out and made his way to room 216. Le, almost running to keep up, followed.

He arrived at the room and walked in, his limp now more pronounced from exhaustion. Mike was sitting up on the bed, almost as if he was expecting him.

"Hey, long time no see. Last time I heard you were dead."

"I guess news doesn't travel that fast then. I've been alive again for almost six months."

"Don't want to grace us with your presence?" he asked. "Saint John and I could have used another man."

Sadness again showed in his eyes, causing Rivers to wonder what he had said wrong.

"I won't be flying any time soon."

"Oh."

The burns had healed with minimal scaring; leaving no visible signs of the numbness and struggles he still had to face in his everyday life. "The doctors don't think I'll be flying again, but I think eventually I should be able to at least fly the Jet Ranger again; Airwolf missions are pretty much out of the question though, no combat flying.

Michael couldn't help overhearing the conversation. As soon as it was over though, he turned to leave before Hawke noticed his attendance. It didn't work.

"Michael, do you know where Caitlin is?" he asked bluntly.

"Why?" Michael asked his own question to avoid Hawke's.

"Do you or not?" Hawke's blue exhausted blue eyes looking straight into own.

He doubted there was any point in lying. Hawke could probably look right through him. He had the amazing ability to get past the agent's mask that stopped so many. Maybe he learned it when learning to mask his own emotion so well.

"I have a good idea," he said hesitantly.

"Where?" Hawke demanded.

"With your brother."

"You sent her with Saint John?!" he shouted incredulously. "I can't believe you would do something like that!"

"It was her idea," Michael tried to excuse himself.

"You knew she shouldn't be out there," Hawke retorted.

"I know, but I needed someone who could handle Airwolf, and she was the only one available. She said that she could make her own decisions and you'd just her to leave anyway," Michael returned.

Exasperated at the lack of knowledge he was getting, Hawke demanded o know the exact location of the armament base they were seeking.

Michael, not seeing much choice in the matter, told him all the information he knew.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Hawke absorbed the information intently. "You take care of Le; I'm going after them."

"Hawke, they've got it under control, just let them finish."

"Not a chance," he replied determinately, "you sent Caitlin out there when you know she shouldn't be anywhere near Airwolf, and I', going to bring her back."

Michael tried to stop him; all Hawke had was the jeep, and he'd most likely just be in the way, but he would have no part in it.

"I told you, I'm going. Bye, Michael."

He trucked out to the jeep leaving Le with Michael and Marella. Keying the ignition, he raced out of the parking garage toward the hideout via Michael's directions. Long since having left the main road, he covered the bumpy, dirt road. Eventually even the dirt road disappeared, desert-like orange sand and a cloudless blue sky the only thing visible for miles.

\A/

Camped out in the desert, Airwolf's black metallic skin contrasted against the orange sand. The jeep pulled up next to it.

Saint John came around from the other side, lugging a portable missile launcher with him. "I need to use the jeep," he said abruptly. Not waiting for any comment, he hauled it into the back of the jeep and climbed in.

"You and Cait work out your problems here; I'll take care of the arms dealers."

String looked at his brother confusedly. "What problems?" He didn't know how Saint John would know about their fight-unless…

"I think you can figure it out. Now I have some business to tend to. The communications all seem to work alright, but we had a few troubles on the way out here. If you can get her running ok, go ahead home; if not, I'll come back once I take care of the mission." Saint John left with the jeep, leaving String, Caitlin, and Airwolf alone.

String walked around the nose and opened the door, sticking his head in.

"I don't know why, but we had a little trouble coming in on the way over here," Caitlin told him, avoiding the topic she knew Saint John had left them to discuss.

"Do you know what the problem is with?"

"It's something to do with the engines. Engine two keeps stalling."

After a careful examination, he thought he'd figured out the problem.

"So what do we do?"

"We can't fix her out here, so we'll have to limp home on one engine and if she starts to overheat, we'll have to stop and give her a chance to cool down for a while," he answered.

"Alright, let's get going then."

They started the trip off in silence until Caitlin finally broke it. "You decided you could finally drive again just so you could pick me up and take me home again?" she questioned, still angry that after all this she still wasn't finishing the mission.

"I could drive before," he said defensively. "I just thought I was looking out for you're best interest."

"Yeah, sure, just like you were looking out for my best interest when you decided to send me away."

"Actually, I was. I told you I could make sure you were well provided for. Financially, is no problem, I just physically can't take care of you two."

"You're getting there, and it would be ok; sure, it'll be hard, but you're always up for a challenge. I'm not totally incapable, if you haven't noticed, I can do things for myself. It's not like I'm expecting you to do everything."

"I can't do what I would need to be able to though, I can't even protect you. Look at this; I've always thought of Airwolf as, you know, kind of mine, and I can't even fly her myself."

He looked around the cockpit silently. It was nice to be back in here, but it wouldn't last. No more combat missions, which meant no more Airwolf for him. He knew the controls well enough, but it still seemed so strange to be in the back. His life had been turned upside down-a new fiancé, a kid on the way, not being able to fly, along with other struggles. Things weren't really going that well either; he was sending his chance at a family away because he couldn't take care of them; he knew they deserved better than he could provide, but it didn't make the decision any easier. He just couldn't do what he used to be able to, and there was no way to get around it.

\A/

Michael waited as the final papers were signed and Mike was released from the hospital. Marella would take them back to FIRM headquarters, but that was still two hours away, and he'd already had a long day- a day that wasn't even over yet. Maybe he could catch a little shut eye on the trip home.

\A/

'Elevation 20,000 feet, Engine two stalled, Engine one slightly overheating,' String tried to work on the connection he'd previously had with Airwolf before his accident nearly nine months ago. It was a special link between them, something no one else had gotten the chance to experience; it had been gradually getting stronger with use, but after not using it at all for so long it hardly seemed to exist anymore. The only thing he could get were some simple reading that were right in front of him and he could open his eyes and see them long before he could mentally picture them.

"Cait, the engine's starting to get a little hot, you might want to take her down for a little while," he told her.

"Cait?"

"I think we've got a bigger problem," fear rising in her voice.

\A/

Michael had almost dozed off when his napping time was interrupted by a call to his satellite phone. Opening the briefcase, he answered it.

Hawke's voice was talking on the other end, trying to calm Caitlin while taking charge of piloting Airwolf. Uncharacteristic worry evident in his own voice, he focused his attention in the call with Michael.

"Where's the nearest hospital?" he asked after giving their location.

"The closest FIRM clinic…" he tried to think of the one closest to them.

"I don't car if it's FIRM or not. I just need a hospital right now. I'm at twenty thousand feet, struggling with flying Airwolf, and Caitlin's gone into labor."

"The nearest one is a FIRM hospital, and it's just off the dirt road you drove the jeep in on. You should see a large barn with open fields out front, it's actually an undercover secret operations hospital, but it's got some of the best doctors there are."

"I'll keep you posted," he ended the call abruptly.

Now in the co-pilot's seat beside Caitlin, he had complete control. It felt weird to be flying again, despite the years of practice he'd had; he had been told he would never fly again, and here he was flying. On the other hand, he didn't have much choice.

An alarm went off in the back, warning them that the engines were overheating.

'Come on, baby, just a little farther. We gotta keep going.'

The incessant beeping didn't stop, it only grew louder.

'Restart engine two.'

Nothing.

Fear started to creep up again. What if he couldn't do it? Caitlin, his baby, his own life depended on him doing exactly what he had been told he couldn't do, would never be able to do again, for the last nine months. He pushed the fear into the back of his mind; there was no time to worry about the mess this could turn into; he had to do, there weren't any other options.

He reached over to manually restart the second engine. It would restart.

'Dammit, baby, you gotta help me out here! Restart the second engine.'

Gradually it helped take the load off the first engine.

'Engine two restarted. Stall imminent.'

'Please don't stall,' he mentally pleaded.

At long last, the hospital came into view. "Hang on, Cait; it could be a little bumpy. I haven't done this in awhile."

He lowered the landing gear and started the descent into the field. Michael had already arranged to have a team of medical personnel waiting when he landed. They unloaded Caitlin, helping her into a wheelchair, and taking her inside.

He sat, still in shock from the sudden events, alone in the cockpit. He ached from the sudden exertion, physically and mentally, added to the tiredness of before.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Saint John pulled the co-pilot side door open.

"String, you ok?"

He blinked a couple times and shook the fog out of his head. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Fine."

"Do you have any clue how long you've been out here?"

"I don't know, a little while," he answered, still trying to sort out the fuzz in his head.

"Try a long while," Saint John replied. "Why don't you come with me, I think someone would like to see you."

"Cait, the baby-is everything ok?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself? She's been asking for you."

"She has?"

His questioning tone had Saint John wondering what had really happened between them; he said it as if she'd never want to see him again.

"Why wouldn't she?"

"She was pretty upset with me, and with good reasoning too," String answered sheepishly.

Stepping into the quiet hospital room, he saw the beautiful red haired pilot he had come to know and love so well. He wondered how in the world he was ever going to live without her.

"About time you showed up," she teased. "I thought I was going to have send out a search party."

He looked back at his brother. "To me, it looks like you already did."

"Maybe he just wants to see this kid as bad as I do," Dom joined. "She won't let anyone see him until you do."

Caitlin looked at him guiltily. "It's true. I thought you deserved to see him first, you being the daddy and all."

"You didn't think I'd just drop you off and run?"

"Never even crossed my mind. Why would someone who cared enough for me that he was willing to send me away and deprive himself of joy, just to care for us and give us what he thought was best - just drop me and run? In fact, I couldn't think of a better person to take care of us."

He still didn't seem entirely convinced.

"I don't think you can do it, Stringfellow Hawke, I know you can." she said with certainty. " And to hell what all the doctors think. You were told you'd never fly again, and you did; you flew at mach one just to make sure everything turned out ok."

"That fast?" he said. "It seemed like an eternity."

"Knowing you and seeing the worry on your face, probably faster."

\A/

"I wasn't really quite ready for the baby yet," he admitted, "and you're sure everything is alright?"

She could sense the tension in his voice. "I'm positive. The baby's a little early, but nothing to worry about from what the doctors say." Suddenly she grinned, "Speaking of which, don't you think it's about time your son got a name?"

"A son," Hawke remarked in wonder. He whispered in an awestruck voice, "I have a son?" He raised incredibly blue eyes to meet hers. "I haven't really thought about it much, Cait. I mean I've had plenty of time to… but he's already here and …"

Taking in the stricken tone in Hawke's voice Cait shook her head. "Would you like to hold your son, String?"

He shook his head, but his eyes told her he did. And with that, she leaned across the covers and placed their son gently in his arms. Staring at him in wonder, Hawke shifted his awkward grip on the baby even as he worked a tiny hand free and grabbed hold of his finger.

Watching them, she smiled. "Well," she said after a long minute, "what about that name?"

Tearing his gaze away from his son for a moment, Hawke grinned at her. "Chance," he whispered, "because we got our second chance, and you took one on me."


End file.
